Broadway's My Beat: Episodes 001 - 100

From July 7, 1949 through February 16, 1952:

Production moves to Hollywood. The Hollywood Produced Summer Series begins on July 7, 1949 Thursday - 8:00 pm. CBS

Introduction for shows # 001 through # 192 includes Music, street sounds, car horns, etc. Detective Clover opens with: "Broadway’s my beat. From Times Square to Columbus Circle, the gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world." More street sounds, music, then Announcer: "Broadway’s My Beat, with Larry Thor as Detective Danny Clover." Introduction occasional includes opening commercial. Back to Detective Clover for the First Line Narrative.

Date Aired:

1949/07/07

Episode Number:

001

Available:

NO

Title:

The Jimmy Dorn Murder Case

Description:

An ex-carnival performer named Jimmy Dorn wins $17,000 in the Irish Sweepstakes and promptly "commits suicide."

"Broadway, it's an enchanted island or a prison, a crazy happy dance, or a funeral march in blues time."

Notes:

Opening Announcement: "The 'FBI in Peace and War', ordinarily heard at this time throughout the year is taking it's usual summer vacation and will return to CBS five weeks from tonight on September 1st".

Date Aired:

1949/08/04

Episode Number:

004

Available:

Yes

Title:

The Dr. Robbie McClure Murder Case

Description:

Dr. Robbie McClure dies of a gunshot in Danny's office; his last words were warning Danny of an unsolved murder from a month ago. Ms Dorothy Rivers was telling the story of Martin James party when she was shot through the window. Who's killing whom?

"Broadway, it's a promise you make to yourself in some dismal part of your life or it's a name you say like a curse. It's a place of golden women..."

Notes:

Opening Announcement: "The 'FBI in Peace and War', ordinarily heard at this time throughout the year is taking it's usual summer vacation and will return to CBS four weeks from tonight on September 1st".

Lt. Danny Clover, Broadway Special Detail. One of the few times Clover announces his title.

Date Aired:

1949/08/11

Episode Number:

005

Available:

Yes

Title:

The Jane Darnell Murder Case

Description:

Newspaper reporter, Jed Stacey receives a letter that Jane Darnell is going to be killed. Jane Darnell is strangled with a silk stocking. Police determine the letter is typed on a Corona portable. The murderer calls Danny with a follow-up threat that night for Mary Smith, but he calls the reporter with all the details. A third victim is tied to the others at a war plant. Jane's wrecked car is a lead to the revenge killings.

"Broadway, It's a journey some people have to make, a journey that ends in a screaming, blinding furnace of light."

Notes:

Opening Announcement: "The 'FBI in Peace and War', ordinarily heard at this time throughout the year is taking it's usual summer vacation and will return to CBS three weeks from tonight on September 1st".

Spoken Word Correction: Jed Stacey initially pronounces the victims name as Jane Darwell. All other spoken references are to Jane Darnell.

"Broadway, where you can take a bus ride into the summer evening and make believe it's a dreamboat."

Notes:

Opening Announcement: "The 'FBI in Peace and War', ordinarily heard at this time throughout the year is taking it's usual summer vacation and will return to CBS two weeks from tonight on September 1st".

Date Aired:

1949/08/25

Episode Number:

007

Available:

Yes

Title:

The Val Dane Murder Case

Description:

Val Dane, a universally hated author, is found dead of starvation in a room full of food! The room is locked from the outside, no windows, only a 30' skylight.

"Broadway. It's a swamp that'll drag you breath by breath into its shadowed pools. Or it's a meadow shining with golden light. It's a place and a time and a loneliness that reaches out for you, then beckons you into an airless room and locks the door..."

Notes:

Announcer Opening: "The FBI in Peace and War" ordinarily heard at this time throughout the year is taking its usual summer vacation and will return to CBS one week from tonight on September 1st."

This is the last show in the summer replacement series produced in Hollywood. The rest of the episodes are considered regular season episodes for four seasons although there are some exceptions.

BROADCAST SCHEDULE:

From:

To:

Network:

Day:

Time:

07/28/49

08/25/49

CBS

Thursday

7:00 p.m

11/05/49

01/21/50

CBS

Saturday

9:30 p.m

Regular season resumes broadcasting on Saturday at 9:30pm. New York Times reports on 10/18 that Broadway's My Beat will resume on 11/05. It should also be noted that the 11/05 broadcast was pre-empted in New York for a political speech by John Foster Dulles. This speech did not pre-empt the rest of the country.

"Broadway, where the nighttime explodes into the canyon streets like some passion screaming to be rid of the day. And the night is a backdrop for a million fragments neon and roar and melting shapes shocks and the clock the crowd. It's a fury that holds you up and close..."

Notes:

Date Aired:

1949/12/17

Episode Number:

014

Available:

Yes

Title:

The Henry Baker Murder Case

Description:

A nice guy named Henry Baker is trying to give away $50,000, while his brother is trying to stop him.

"Broadway, it's a tinseled wilderness of steel and of stone and the foliage of darkness is thick and unyielding. You make circles and pretend..."

Notes:

Possible duplicate (same title) April 24, 1949 Episode 009 NY.

Date Aired:

1949/12/24

Episode Number:

015

Available:

Yes

Title:

Nick Norman and Santa Claus

Description:

A Christmas show. Nick Norman is just out of Sing Sing after fifteen years and is scheduled to play Santa Claus for the P. A. L. The day before the big day, Santa takes a powder, while a miserly landlord demands his rent!

"Broadway, it's the journey you have to make because all the other streets you ever walked never paid off. But Broadway's different...."

Notes:

Possible duplicate (same title) May 22, 1949 Episode 013 NY.

Date Aired:

1950/02/17

Episode Number:

022

Available:

Yes

Title:

The Dion Hartley Murder Case

Description:

Dion Hartley invites Danny Clover to visit his exquisite apartment. He tells Danny that he's going to be murdered. He knows who's going to kill him, but won't tell Danny who it is. After the murder takes place, Danny seems to be falling for a suspect! Danny gets himself arrested after a fistfight in a restaurant. The guy he fights with is then murdered!

"Broadway, it's the neon avenue of the beggars, the gleaming ally of the scavengers who dart and search and revel in the blaze of fury. Then gather in the gutters at night. There they count and catalog and compare the spoils salvaged from the litter of darkness......"

Notes:

Rare appearance by Sheldon Leonard, who played Mark Guilford

Duplicate First Line: Similar first line opening as spoken on "The Laura Burton Murder Case", 50-11-03 ep052.

Date Aired:

1950/05/12

Episode Number:

034

Available:

Yes

Title:

The Marcia Dean Murder Case

Description:

A bank teller named Harry Dean has stolen $20,000 to ransom back his kidnapped wife Marcia. It didn't work.

"At twilight the solitude that is Broadway leans against an open door and abandons itself to the cooling fingers of the evening wind ..."

Notes:

Sponsored by Wrigley's Spearmint Gum.

Date Aired:

1950/07/24

Episode Number:

044

Available:

Yes

Title:

The Celia Jordan Murder Case

Description:

Celia Jordan has disappeared. Her apartment has been trashed by someone being blackmailed. Her last date, Cliff Moore (section 8) is interviewed and suggests Paul Chelsea beat her up. She later calls Danny and dies of poison right in front of him. Next Clover discovers Chelsea beaten to death.

"In the summer's heat Broadway is a wasteland, sullen, a place of regret. It's a time when the breeze puffs in from the river, dies suddenly...."

Notes:

Sponsored by Wrigley's Spearmint Gum.

Date Aired:

1950/07/31

Episode Number:

045

Available:

Yes

Title:

The Harry Brett Murder Case

Description:

This is not from the movie "Shoot the Piano Player" but someone shot Harry Brett at the 34 Club. Then the murderer shot the drummer and dumped him in the river. There's a vivid description of the mounted police working crowd control at the dock in the hot summer sun. Surprise ending.

"It's the journey to the end of all the other streets in the world, this Broadway, you turn a corner and you're there. You walk slowly......."

Notes:

Date Aired:

1950/11/03

Episode Number:

052

Available:

Yes

Title:

The Laura Burton Murder Case

Description:

The body of Laura Burton is found in a waterfront hotel room, strangled with half a sash from a bathrobe. Laura Burton was very wealthy; her husband is the main suspect. But then, a second woman is found strangled with the other half of the bathrobe sash.

"Broadway, it's the neon avenue of beggars, the gleaming ally where you dart and search and revel in the blaze of fury. You sidestep the gutters at night; try to close your heart against the carnival scream that rises high above Broadway.

Notes:

Duplicate First Line: Similar first line opening as spoken on "The Thelma Harper Murder Case", 50-05-05 ep033.

Date Aired:

1950/11/10

Episode Number:

053

Available:

Yes

Title:

The Johnny Hill Murder Case

Description:

" Nick Joiner, is found murdered in a cheap hotel by room service's Allan Finch. Johnny Hill, "King of the Chicago Hooligans" is then found dead in the same hotel. Clover looks for leads in the Manhattan theater district.

"When it's September and the summer sighs away, Broadway is festooned with the colors of fall. The pastel of the cotton dresses mixed with the brown and grey of the flannel..." "The pastels of the cotton dresses mix sadly with the browns......"

Notes:

Duplicate First Line: Very similar to 53/09/05 ep181 "The Larry Burdette Murder Case". That episode First Line is spoken as "…cotton dresses mix bravely with …"

Date Aired:

1951/09/22

Episode Number:

079

Available:

Yes

Title:

The Tom Keeler Murder Case

Description:

Tom Keeler has been found dead with two different sized bullets in him...he was murdered twice!

"In Autumn sunlight the September day trots out its promises for Broadway's considering, displays them in doorways, in pushcarts......"

Notes:

AKA: "Killed Twice."

Date Aired:

1951/09/29

Episode Number:

080

Available:

Yes

Title:

The Lars Nielsen Murder Case

Description:

Poly Morgan feels like she must have a gun for protection. Danny's first reaction suspects it's for publicity. Lars Nielsen is identified by his hotel manager. Lars is shot in Poly's apartment. Both parties have ties back to Black River Falls WI some 15 years ago.